


Guardian

by PatchworkIdeas



Series: GatheringFiKi 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [5]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Gen, HumanKíli, Light Angst, M/M, MagicFoxFíli
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-02-17 22:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21850969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatchworkIdeas/pseuds/PatchworkIdeas
Summary: Fili is perfectly happy being the guardian of his forest, until an unexpected visitor shakes up his whole life and makes him remember things he would rather stay forgotten.Sometimes curiousity can be a curse - or it can be the greatest gift of all.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Series: GatheringFiKi 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569745
Comments: 36
Kudos: 32
Collections: GatheringFiKi - 12 Days OF Christmas 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Linane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linane/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by GatheringFiKi's gorgeous Photoset!
> 
> Posted here with permission, and can be found on Tumblr [here](https://gatheringfiki.tumblr.com/post/189741490087/12-days-of-christmas-day-6-stories-inspired-by)

* * *

There was a human in his woods.

Fili had spent a good long while spreading rumours and causing mischief, playing trick after trick after trick, just to finally be left alone in his own front yard.

And now there was a _human_ stumbling around his carefully arranged garden.

Fili angrily watched the intruder, only the tip of his tail moving at all. 

However, despite his careful observation he could sense no malice or trickery in the wretched thing. 

It didn't seem to mean any harm.

Most humans still stupid enough to wander into his woods brought weapons and fire, boasting about the coat they would make of him, retaking the woods from the "evil spirits" possessing them.

(pfeh, as if it had ever been _theirs_. He was older than their bloodlines-and the forest yet older than him. Not that the upstarts ever cared about _respect_ )

None of them ever left the forest again. 

But this one was different.

Small and overly curious, yet skittish, flitting from area to area. It looked at every tiny twig or leaf or berry as if it had never seen anything like it before.  
When it heard any unusual sound at all, its head would snap up, listening, body perfectly still, before dashing away on feather-light steps. 

Fili had never seen a human who moved so much like a bird. 

It looked like it belonged, which was an alien thought that had Fili's hackles rising and a frightening growl slipping out of his snout. 

No human would _ever_ belong in _his_ forest!

They were destroyers! Beings with no sense of their own insignificance, without an inch of respect for other beings; cruelty written in their very bones. 

Nothing good ever came from _humans_! 

... Yet this one wasn't breaking so much as a twig, carefully choosing its steps while moving through the underbrush and between the trees. 

Curiosity winning against his anger, Fili supposed he might as well see what it was going to do. 

But, as much as Fili watched, as far as he followed, all he could see was respect for the forest and its inhabitants, curiosity at the world and joy at the birds and squirrels and other natives that it occasionally glimpsed. 

And, with time, fear. 

Night was fast approaching.  
And as dangerous as the forest could be during the day, that was nothing compared to the dark hours. 

A fact it seemed aware of, judging by the sniffles and wild looks around. 

He was not the only predator in the forest-though the most fearsome-and he had no doubt the kit wouldn't survive the night. 

Fili could just leave and the matter would be settled.  
In its endless curiosity it had wandered too far into his territory-it had no chance of escape anymore. 

It would be eaten, become a part of the cycle, and that would be that.  
The best a human could ever hope to be. 

Fili didn't leave. 

And it surprised him again.  
Instead of running around in a panic or trying to start one of their infernal, uncontrolled fires it climbed one of the smaller trees, trying to curl itself in its branches and hide. 

As if anything or anyone could overlook such a strange and big bird! 

Even if this protected it from the wolves, which Fili doubted, it would still starve in a matter of days.  
It just wasn't old enough to be out on its own yet. Where were its parents? Why had they let it wander so far from their burrow?  
It seemed an unusually sweet kit, and despite himself Fili felt a pang at the thought of letting this little one die.  
It had done no harm yet.  
Had shown nothing but respect and kindness.  
It would be a shame to let maybe the only almost tolerable human in existence die.  
If it grew up, maybe it could teach its way to others?  
Maybe it would remember and be thankful, and return the favour someday.  
Maybe. 

Fili agitatedly watched as it started shivering, its thin hide doing nothing to protect it from the encroaching cold; its short dark fur wasn't nearly long enough to cover its whole body (such a strange design, how had they survived?) and its stolen skins were hardly up for the task either. 

Fili sighed, still wary, and decided that one last test was in order. 

If it succeeded, he would guide it back to where it came from and think no more of it. 

With a flick of his tail, he let his own fire break free: small orbs surrounding him, illuminating him from all sides. 

He was the master of this forest, and he would look the part. 

Most humans at this point would run or freeze in shock. The funny ones would beg on their knees for mercy; the stupid ones would run at him, haughtily assuming they had even a sliver of a chance at touching him.  
_Those_ were fun to play with. 

But this one did neither.  
It looked straight at him, eyes filled with wonder, and carefully made its way out of the tree, refusing to look away for even a moment. 

Fili didn't know whether it was stupid (for leaving what little protection it had) or smart (for trying to keep him, a dangerous being indeed, in sight at all times) but either way, he found himself curious what would come of this strange encounter.  
The human kit stopped at the foot of the tree, securely back on the ground, but seemingly unsure of what to do now that it was there. It leaned forward a bit, more fascinated than frightened, but caught itself and turned the movement into a polite bow instead-as much as that was possible while it was still staring at him. 

His paws carried him forward before he had consciously made the choice. He sniffed at the strange, almost hairless skin, flicked one of his fires close to its body (to check its reaction, the heat had _nothing_ to do with it) and took a closer look at his unusual visitor. He had been curious for a while now, and this would be the perfect opportunity to both test the kit and satisfy his own budding fascination.

While he openly examined and inspected the kit, it stayed remarkably still-for the most part. Fili could see its fingers twitch, its eyes flitting to his gorgeous coat and fluffy tail and so obviously longing for a touch that Fili could hardly keep his mirth contained.  
He wound around it for a bit, amused at its squirming when it couldn't see him anymore, yet bewildered by its self-control.  
While Fili took his time to sate his own curiosity, the kit somehow managed to keep its fingers to itself, not once trying to touch his fur or even sneak in an "accidental" brush. 

Finally satisfied that he could not tempt the strange human despite its obvious desire, Fili had to admit defeat. 

The kit would get to live. 

Turning away and showing his back without worry, for the kit could not harm him if it tried, he set his fires up to lead into the darkness of the forest.  
Stopping a few feet ahead of his temporary charge he looked back, huffed, and made an exaggerated "follow me" gesture.  
The kit looked like it wanted to say something for a moment, before quickly deciding against it and following on near silent feet instead. 

The journey took longer than Fili had hoped, for as fleet of foot as the kit had been in daylight, it could not hope to keep up with him, much less in the night. 

But eventually the ruckus of the nearby human settlement reached its ears and the kit happily flew forward into the open.

Fili watched, hidden among the trees, as the kits parents frantically looked it over, kissing and hugging and scolding at the same time.  
There was an odd pang in his heart when he saw the kit in its family's embrace and Fili idly wondered if that would be the last of it, if they would ever meet again.  
It was a silly thought, and an even sillier thing to wish for, he admonished himself as he left, fading into the darkness as if he had never been there at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [My Tumblr](https://patchworkideas.tumblr.com/post/189743073445/gatheringfiki-the-following-ficlet-was-written)
> 
> Many thanks to the incredible [Linane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linane/pseuds/Linane)! Without her support and encouragement this would have stayed as a short little ficlet instead of growing into my first multichapter story!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright my dear readers, this story is now fully written! It is also a gift for our wonderful [Linane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linane/pseuds/Linane). It felt fitting that the story you inspired and encouraged me to write is the one I’m gifting you on your special day. While I won’t put up every chapter today – it’s a lot, especially for me – you can look forward to a new chapter everyday for the next week! Happy Birthday!

There was a hand-painted bowl and a stuffed animal sitting on the edge of his forest.

Fili hadn't meant to return.

The kit was home and the matter settled.

Yet here he was.

And here was the enticingly smelling human meal all set out for him.

And it was for him, and only him, there was no doubt about it.

The kit had obviously tried to build something of a shrine around it, but didn't have the skills to quite make it work.

Nonetheless, the fox plushie, wonky and obviously well loved, was a big tip off.

A look was more than enough to scare off the would be scavengers who thought that this would make a perfect meal.  
Fili might not have decided what to do with the unexpected offering, but it was his none the less.

When it was clear that the boy had left and no other humans tried to hide in the surrounding area, Fili carefully checked over the offering.

It was a soup with lots of chicken meat and only a few vegetables to round out the taste. The fox doubted this was the kits usual fare - despite their love for hunting humans lunchboxes usually carried less meat - but the kit's smell was still strong. And he hoped its parents were not so careless as to let their spawn prepare this on its own - though it was possible, stupid as they had been to let it wander into the forest in the first place.  
Most likely, it had taken some of its own portion, and left him all the good parts.  
The meal was more cold than warm by now, but it still smelled delicious.  
And it was an offering of thanks for the help he had so graciously given.  
It would be terribly rude to let it go to waste.

-

Every morning, the kit would collect the empty bowl and plush from the little shrine, a gleeful look on its face, as if it had been given an offering, only through his acceptance.  
Every evening it would bring a new mouth-watering dish, always with more meat than anything else.  
(Once, when there had been no meat at all, the kit had laid an oddly sweet and bitter dark substance next to the bowl.  
Fili hated it. It was the first offering Fili ever refused, and while the heartbreak on the kits face was strangely painful, at least this "chocolate" was never brought again.)

Fili told himself he came only for the meal and to accept his well-earned thanks, but more and more often he found himself making a slight detour to the shrine in the morning, to watch the kit's joy at yet another accepted offering.

It became something of a routine and the shrine kept growing.  
The kit kept trying to add something to the rickety structure, trying to elevate the offering from the ground, and to insure that the rain wouldn't water it down - and drench the plushie that he left overnight to keep Fili company.  
The latter did not work very well unfortunately, and with autumn steadily becoming winter, the rain and hail were icy.

Fili watched the kit try to repair the shrine in one such deluge, staying longer than it should, before leaving with a grimace, its head bowed low, as if in apology.  
Fili appreciated the gesture and figured such devotion deserved a little reward.  
Letting his magic flow into the rickety structure, Fili got to work.  
And if maybe he went a bit overboard, working through the night, then that was no one's business but his own.

When he was done, instead of the barely holding together little box, there was now a small but beautiful pavilion in its place - big enough for him and the kit to curl up in. As a finishing touch he added a burned in fox symbol at the top, so that even those not magically inclined would know who it was for.

Satisfied, he settled in to wait for his kits arrival, to see how its eyes would grow big when it realized that Fili had not only officially accepted it as his follower but even used his own power to fortify the shrine, saving the kit countless hours of work it simply did not have the skills for yet. It was young still, had much to learn, but maybe Fili could help from time to time.

But his kit didn't come back.

The next morning the bowl stayed on its dais and his plush likeness stared forlorn out into the rain, for once not collected by its owner to spend the day with.

Fili was enraged.

All the time and effort he had put into accepting the kit and now was the moment it stopped?! Making shrines wasn't easy, there was a reason it was left to believers instead of the spirits themselves! He had broken ancient rules for the whelp and it dared to snub him?!

On the second day, Fili wondered if the last bow had been meant as a final farewell, a final thanks, rather than an apology.  
The thought rattled around in his head and made him feel oddly unwell.  
The kit didn't even know about the new shrine, and certainly hadn't asked for help in building it, so maybe his anger there was misplaced. He should have known the offerings wouldn't last forever, humans were fickle creatures.

On the third day he walked around the edges of his forest, trying to see if he could find the kit out with the other young humans or catch any hint of its scent.  
If it had been there at all, the unending rain had long since washed it away.

On the fourth day he left his forest for the first time in years and sneaked into the settlement.  
It was early, the streets deserted, but he was still careful to stay hidden, dashing from shadow to shadow, trying to find a trace, any trace, of his kit.  
Where was he?  
Something must have happened for his kit to disappear so thoroughly, and he hadn't been there to protect him, his faithful follower, wallowing in his own disappointment instead of saving him!  
Fili scoured the whole village, before finally catching the faintest trace coming from one of the houses. Carefully checking the windows he finally found his kit - and the boy was in dire straits.  
Skin pale and shivers wrecking his frame despite the blankets that dwarfed him.  
His kit looked so tiny like that. Tiny and frail.  
Using his magic to gain entry - a feat that took more power than he would have liked, for he was far away from his forest and uninvited besides - Fili tip-toed to the boys bedside.

The room stank of illness, fouling the air and making his hackles rise. It was not a good place to be, and he was keenly aware how far he was from his own home, the place where he belonged.  
But he had come for a reason and so he concentrated upon his charge and ignored the twisting feeling in his own body.  
His kit looked even worse close up, pale as death, sweat dripping from his brow, breath labored.  
His eyes kept moving under their lids and he kept twitching as if caught in a trap he could not escape.

This wouldn't do.

Fili gathered his magic around him, jumped upon the bed and aligned his snout with the boys mouth, breathing life and energy back into the struggling body.

Fili couldn't say whether it was the magic or his presence that woke his kit, but when he had poured all he could offer into the boy, deep brown eyes were looking up at him with both wonder and confusion.  
The eyes were glazed and the owner not yet truly aware, but still Fili couldn't look away, an old... something stirring within him.  
He didn't know what it was, and for once, did not wish to know.  
The boys eyes closed, too tired still, but his mouth kept shaping half finished thoughts, little more than breathes in the stillness.  
Words of apology, of thanks, of murmured pleas and a name his kit should not know haunted Fili as he hastily fled the room.

He was shaken when he finally entered the sanctuary of his own burrow again, and did not leave it for several days. His magic would need time to work and he needed the rest.  
His own dreams were uneasy, full of gold and fire and glazed brown eyes fading into lifeless black.

-

Fili was waiting when his kit brought the next offering. He had been woken by the disturbance in his shrine during the morning as both the plush and the bowl were removed - and was dismayed to realize he had missed the boys first reaction to it.  
But more than that, he was unexpectedly eager to see him again, to see for himself that his kit was whole and safe and alive and would remain that way.

Fili broke tradition and waited inside his shrine, sitting regal like a king on his throne.

Let the other spirits stay away from their followers, nothing but legends. Let them whisper and talk.  
Seeing the pure joy on his kits face when he saw Fili waiting for him was worth it all.


	3. Chapter 3

The fox shaped cookies were a bit lumpy and somewhat crushed but Kili had tried.  
He had tried really, really hard.  
Enough even to ask his mom for help, who was always busy, but took the time to show him how to make cookies anyway.  
Enough to endure, and evade, her questions as to where his sudden interest came from - and later who they were for. (A friend. A shy friend. Who can’t come over, sorry!)  
Enough even, and he couldn’t stress this enough, to leave out the _chocolate_!

Kili loved chocolate, and he loved chocolate cookies, and hot chocolate and everything chocolate.

But his friend hadn’t eaten the chocolate the one time he had been nice enough to share it, and the biology teacher said not to feed wildlife chocolate, as it was poisonous or something. (Well, technically she said he shouldn’t feed any wildlife, because it was wild and could feed itself and he might get hurt, but this was _his fox_ , his _magical_ fox, not just any wild animal, so Kili had nodded and smiled and ignored everything he hadn’t asked for.)

So he needed different cookies.  
And if he couldn’t have perfect chocolate cookies, then he at least wanted theme appropriate cookies. It was a special day after all, not just any old cookie would do.

He really should have practiced before hand. Maybe then he could have made them all on his own. But he only realized the anniversary of their first meeting was coming up two days before it, so he had to make do. Dad did that often too, but he had never forgotten one of their anniversaries yet, and mom said that’s what counts.

But it was their _first_ , so he needed something _special._

Mom had asked him what his friend liked best, and Kili had to think long and hard, because while he knew his fox loved his meals, (especially the chicken soup one, which always got his tail wagging the moment Kili came into range) his scritches, (after some initial reluctance at least. Kili didn’t try to touch him first, wasn’t stupid, that got you bitten, and he did respect his lovely fox, and mom always said boundaries were important, but once Kili had gotten permission to touch him they had quickly settled into daily cuddle sessions) and always listened attentively when Kili told him something (helping him work through his problems as good as a fox could!) but none of that helped him with his cookies!

Eventually, he decided that his fox loved Foxy, their precious plushie, who protected their magical house during the night, and went on adventures with Kili during the day, and that probably meant he liked foxes, despite being one. Or perhaps because? So he should make fox shaped cookies! (It wasn’t _that_ weird. They had Gingerbread Mans after all, and while he always felt a bit sorry for them, they did taste good. His parents always thought he was weird for not wanting to hurt them anyway.)

While his mom had apparently wanted to know the flavor, not the shape, she went out to buy the cookie cutter anyway. And the shape did give him the idea he needed! Foxes were orange, so orange cookies would make orange fox cookies, right?

Well, very, very light orange perhaps. If he squinted. And some of the foxes had broken up into crumbs. Maybe because of his running - they had taken so long to make that he was late to their daily meeting! But they were still nice and warm and soft and they smelled amazing and Kili hoped mom was right when she said the thought counted.

His friend sniffed at them curiously.  
Kili started babbling, and told him all about the troubles he went through to make them, and that he had only had a single one for himself, just to make sure they came out right, and that he hoped he would like them.

Adults always told Kili he should breath when he talked. Or better yet, not talk so much at all. But his fox always listened, and never judged or told him to shut up.  
His friend was awesome that way!

And he did seem to like the cookies! When he had curiously tried the first one, his ears had perked up, his tail had gone from it’s slow swishing to outright wagging, and he made those cute noises he did when he was happy!  
Not to mention he gobbled them down in no time!

“Mom always said to savor food.” Kili jokingly told him, his hand already brushing through the fluffy fur, all the way up from the ears to the tail, again and again.  
Kili couldn’t get enough of how soft it was, and his friend always made those weird noises when he did. Happy noises no doubt. “But I understand - I also often just wolf down food I like. It’s just too good to stop right?” 

But he kinda understood how his mom felt now, when she had made something special for him, and it was just gone so _fast_. Maybe he would try to slow down next time. Maybe.

The cookies all done, his friend licked his snout, making sure to get every last crumb, and looked at him in their usual question. “What do you want to do today?” Kili imagined him saying. His friend didn’t always go along with what he wanted to do that day, but he always asked. In body language, at least. Which was also a language after all! So it counted.

Kili loved petting his friends soft fur and telling him about his day just as much as he liked playing with him, tag and hide and seek and some games that he didn’t have a name for but that required lots of attention and fast reflexes.  
But today was a special day, and Kili wanted to do something special.

“Maybe we could visit the forest?” Kili suggested shyly, aware that his fox didn’t like him going in there. No wonder after what happened last time. When his friend started to disagree again, with a stare as flat as his ears went, Kili rushed on: “Not far, and I swear I won’t leave your side! I just… I want to see your home. And I remember it was really pretty and interesting! (Until I got lost at least, then it was also terrifying),” he mumbled under his breath, “Could we go, please? I swear I’m going to follow your lead!”

His fox looked at him a long moment, perfectly still, before he finally relaxed, his body returning to it’s fluid grace, rather than being a marble statue.  
He sighed, a recent noise he might have picked up from Kili, but beckoned him into the forest regardless, setting a slow trot that Kili could easily follow.

The forest was as beautiful and wild as Kili remembered. As promised, he didn’t touch anything that his fox didn’t touch, and followed into his footsteps (exactly at first, until he almost lost his balance, and the stare and bark he got in return was such an obvious “stop messing around” that he automatically listened and started walking normally instead.)  
But he looked at _everything._  
Before long, Fili stopped at a kind of bush. Kili got to see a lot of small birds, previously perched on it’s branches, flutter up and disappear into the trees!  
They must have been nippling on the berries, for it had plenty of them. They looked really tasty, too. But he didn’t know what they were, and even he knew not to eat strange, unknown food. He once read a story where someone even died from that!

But Fili nudged the branches, looked back at him, and nudged them again.  
His friend obviously knew what they were. And his friend always ate what Kili brought him. So he picked one, careful not to get too close to the thorns, and plopped it in his mouth.

It was juicy, incredibly so, and the flavor all but exploded in his mouth, different than any food Kili had before. It was delicious!  
He ended up gorging himself on the berries under his foxes watchful eye, all thoughts about savoring forgotten. His friend cackled at him, but that was ok. Friends laughed together, and so he just laughed along.


	4. Chapter 4

“Finally!” Kili carelessly dropped his schoolbag and plopped himself into their little house, reaching out to pet his friend the moment he appeared.

“Summer break! No school, no rules, just fun! And the best thing? My parents have a business trip!” Kili sing-songed, sharing his good mood with extra scritches. His friend enjoyed the attention for a bit, but soon looked around for his usual food. “Sorry, don’t have anything on me yet, I wanted to share the good news as fast as I could! But you can have some later! Anything you want even! My parents finally decided that I’m old enough to stay alone during their trips, so we’ll have the house all to ourselves! I can’t wait to show you around!” 

Technically, his parents had imposed some rules. Like not holding parties, and the house should be clean when they returned - but one fox clearly wasn’t a party, and when else would he get such an opportunity! Two weeks where he could spend everyday with his friend, show him the best human life had to offer! It would be amazing! And hey, it’s not like he would invite anyone else over, so his parents would be proud when they returned and the house hadn’t been destroyed like any other teen probably would.

He had kept very, very quiet about his parents not being home at school, lest anyone invite themselves.

His friend had second thoughts, based on the very reluctant look he was giving Kili, but eventually gave in to his wheedling. Kili had a killer puppy look, and no one was safe from it. 

So it came that they spent the next two weeks holed up at home, eating copious amounts of ice-cream, Kili trying all kinds of baking recipes at his friends prompting - really, that was Kili’s own fault after baking for him on the second day, after mentioning a nice orange cake recipe he had found online - and spending lots of time cuddled up on the sofa, watching TV or trying to play Video Games. It’s not like his friend was a normal fox after all - as if the fire and the intelligence hadn’t made that clear ages ago - but paws still seemed to not be made for controllers. There had been a moment where his friend seemed to have gotten the hang of it, even beating his ass in a fighting game - but that didn’t last long, leaving him exhausted afterwards. Perhaps it had been a stupid idea anyway. Board games proved easier, though Kili still thought his friend must be cheating somehow. No one wins that many times in a row!

The last days they spent almost completely in bed, just cuddling and enjoying each other’s presence. His friend had apparently really come to enjoy human beds - no wonder, they were soft and comfortable and who didn’t want to sleep all day - and was mostly lethargic. Perhaps they might have eaten a bit too many sweets too.  
But it was a nice change of pace. Just a few last relaxing days, before his parents came home and they would only get to meet outside again. Kili read to his friend, which he seemed to appreciate, and petted him until his hands went numb.  
He would miss sleeping with his friend. The warm presence had become familiar, and there was something to waking up next to someone who loved him unconditionally. Kili was happy, maybe happier than he had ever been before, and was sad to see him go.

Nonetheless, his friend couldn’t stay. The morning before his parents were supposed to come home he convinced his grumbling friend that his parents would not appreciate his presence, not even as a pet (a remark that got him an especially vicious bark) and they would meet again tomorrow, like they had before. Kili was sad too, though not sad enough to not lift his friend up, and carry him all the way to their meeting spot in the early hours. He shuddered to think what anyone who saw him would have thought, but at least his friend didn’t fight him on it. Perhaps he just wanted to be carried, just as loathe to leave as Kili was. Or he had really overdone the sweets. How much food did magical foxes need anyway?

Though it was likely the first, lazy bugger, as he perked up soon enough once they were back in the forest. Kili couldn’t stay long - he still had to clean the house at least a bit, make sure there wasn’t any strange fox hair floating around and all, but his friend parted from him readily enough. Perhaps a bit homesick for his own home. 

But it had been a really, really good time. And while it would take a while until he would have so much time alone again, he was already planning their next visit. There were still plenty of things he wanted to show his friend after all, and cookies always tasted best fresh out of the oven.


	5. Chapter 5

Fili should have said no.

He hadn’t. He couldn’t. His kit had been so happy about the opportunity. So happy to share more of his life with him. And Fili had wanted to. They had shared what time they could over the years, at the shrine mostly, sometimes exploring his forest. Fili had even started to teach his kit how to hunt, how to _live_ inside his forest.

It would have been unthinkable before.

But his kit wasn’t just any human, he was _Fili’s_ and Fili had found himself strangely attached to the little bundle of energy that was his kit.

His kit. He would be sad, no doubt. Fili didn’t want to leave, would never leave if he had the choice, as much as the thought of how much he enjoyed the humans presence still scared him some days.  
For good reason. Human’s were monsters, hunters of the worst kind. Destroyers.  
Fili shouldn’t have forgotten that.

The iron of the cage bit into his paws, burned into his fur. His magic swirled around him, bound as much as he was. 

He had been careless.

Fili was bound to the forest, it was his, and he was it’s protector. But his powers also stemmed from it, and his kit’s home was too far away for his power to reach. 

It had been fun at first, seeing the human world through his kit’s eyes. Getting to spend all day, everyday, with him.

He should have said no. 

By the time he had noticed his fatal error it was too late - his power had been so depleted he knew he couldn’t manage the journey back on his own.  
He doubted his kit had understood - humans had so little sense for magic. And yet, when he came back to his senses, felt the lethargy slip out of his bones, his kit had been carrying him back to the shrine, back to his forest, back to the seat of his powers.

Fili hadn’t wasted any time to stumble deeper into the safety of it’s trees, intent on returning to his burrow, cursing himself for his negligence and yet… he had been happy too. Maybe he shouldn’t have been, he had let this go much too far, but his kit had returned him. Had helped him in return. He had been giddy, in an almost delirious way.

He hadn’t been paying attention.

His absence had been noted.  
His paths had been trapped.  
He had been caught.

These humans, these monsters, they knew what he was.  
The iron buzzed and burned against his skin like the wards were scorching his spirit, his very being.

He couldn’t escape.

If he hadn’t stumbled into the stupid trap like an inexperienced _whelp_ he could have killed them with hardly a thought, even in his diminished state. The forest was his, there was nothing he couldn’t do while inside it.

It called to him still, on the outside of the too small cage. The humans had set up camp inside his forest, knowing they were save, with it’s guardian at their mercy. No spirit, nor animal, would dare to cross them now. 

Fili felt a pitiful whine leaving his throat, his thoughts once again returning to his human. He shouldn’t be thinking of how sad those brown eyes would be, how mournful his cries while he searched for Fili, all in vain. Would he think that Fili had abandoned him?

Fili shouldn’t be mourning what he had with him, not when the forest he protected was in danger, not when he had only stumbled into this trap because his nose had been too accustomed to the smell of humans to warn him of the danger.

Yet he couldn’t get the kit out of his mind, could swear he could smell his sweet scent among the stench of the hunters. 

His nose twitched. He slightly lifted his head into the wind. 

It wasn’t just his imagination.

Sharp eyes roving about without daring to lift his head too far, he spotted a shadow flitting between the crates and boxes, always careful to stay out of the fire’s light. 

Fili’s heart stopped.

He knew his own fate, but what would they do if they caught his kit among them? Nothing nice, that was for sure. Humans were monsters, even to their own. 

But his kit was smart. His kit had used his lessons well, and when the camp finally wound down, the sentries stepping out into the forest while their companions slept, his kit made his way to Fili’s cage.

The cage was warded, protected against all kinds of spells and magic.  
It was _not_ protected against whatever his kit did with that long piece of iron.  
With a soft click the door opened and Fili could feel his power rush back, eager to be used, buzzing with anger at the treatment of it’s guardian.

The squeak of the opening door had been the humans only warning.

It had not been enough.

Fili let himself sink into the anger, into the connection between himself and his forest, and unleashed hell.


	6. Chapter 6

The world was burning behind him, his flames leaving no trace of the once screaming humans. Nothing remained.

Nothing but his own kit, standing at the edges of the rubble, not a hair out of place.

Fili’s magic wouldn’t hurt him any more than it would hurt the trees of his forest.

He closed his eyes, all too aware of what his kit had witnessed, of what he had done.

What he would need to do so that he might have a chance of not losing his kit.

Fili closed his eyes, let the magic suffuse him, and felt himself stretch into a too tall, too lean form. It had been a long, long time since he had last assumed anything like it - shed along with pain and misery too much to bear - but this required more than charades.

His body felt foreign - as foreign as the new language on his lips - but his words were clear none the less.

“My name is Fili, and I am in your debt.”

He knew he could have called debt for debt, a life for a life, however many years might be between now and when he first saved his kit from his fate.  
Any other spirit would have.

But he wasn’t just any spirit, and it didn’t feel right. His kit had risked his life to save him, risked a brutal death just to get to him, while all Fili had done was guide him out of his forest instead of letting him die. These deeds were not equal. Fili didn’t want them to be equal, for if they were, there would be no reason for him to stay.

His kit looked at him strangely for a long moment. Wondering what he could do perhaps, with an ancient spirit like himself at his beck and call. Fili wanted to swallow, his kit was kind, he reminded himself, even all too aware of the horror stories told between spirits.

"Nonsense." his human suddenly announced, brows drawn in obvious annoyance. "I didn't free you for any debts!"

The words should have been a relief - but instead his heart fell.

"You wish me to leave you then?" Fili had thought his kit had enjoyed his presence as much as he had his. He had hoped that, even if no more offerings were in his future, at least he could still stay with him.

His kit looked at him, clearly confused, before determination had him straighten up.  
A hand was suddenly thrust in front of him.

"My name is Kili. You are my friend. I don't know what you are going on about right now, but there are no debts between friends and I have no doubt you would have done the same for me. Am I wrong?" Kili looked at him, fearless, as if daring him to say that their friendship was a falsehood, wasn't true.

Friendship. Such an odd concept.  
There were no friendships between spirits, only mutual debts, left open if they enjoyed each others company and paid as soon as possible if not.  
And yet, he had had no word for what he had built with his kit, for it was true: he would have done the same without any hesitation, and expected nothing more than his continued presence in return.

Maybe there was something to that.

He ignored the hand, didn't know what to do with it, honestly, and pulled his friend close instead, like he had felt Kili do countless times for him.  
Kili hugged him back, pulling him ever closer, suddenly all but clinging to him.

"You’re okay, right? They didn't actually hurt you?" came the voice, muffled from the layers of cloth he spoke into.

"I'm fine, you saved me before they could harm me. And they will never harm anyone else ever again." Kili laughed, a watery sound, rubbing his sleeve over his eyes before grabbing Fili's hand and pulling him along.

“Come on, we probably shouldn't be here if anyone decides to investigate the… fire.”

Kili grimaced for a second, but resolutely turned his back on the carnage, pulling Fili deeper into the forest. Fili went willingly, the hand feeling warm in his. Feeling right.  
Welcoming, just like the forest around him. He could feel how the forest parted around them both, acknowledging his human friend like it did him. 

Perhaps it should have scared him, how much Kili now belonged in his woods, but it didn’t. It hadn’t for a long time. 

"Will I see you like this again or is this the only chance we have for talking like this?"  
Kili spoke, after minutes of glances and words swallowed. 

Fili considered for a moment, but found the answer easier than he had thought, despite his dislike of the people who's form he currently wore.

"If you want to. I would enjoy spending more time with you, and it would doubtlessly be safer if I did it in this form than as a fox."

Kili gave a relieved sigh, one of his big smiles lighting up his face.

“I’m glad. I have so many questions, but it’s all just a mess right now and I don’t even know where to start…” 

“It’s okay. It was a long night. We should both rest.” Fili pulled him close, just for another moment, all too aware that what Kili had just witnessed, what Fili had _done_ , must weigh heavy on him. They deserved their fate, but Kili shouldn't have had to watch it. He only hoped Kili’s words stayed true, and that fear would not drive a wedge between them.

Yet, when they reached the Shrine, Kili didn’t let go. Instead he looked at him, looked away, bit his lips, and eventually rushed out: 

"Can we stay here? Just for a bit? I don't... I don't want to leave you yet, I know it's silly, but I need to know your safe! Those bastards almost…!" he burst out, only holding onto Fili all the more. And Fili pulled him into the Shrine, using his magic to summon a fog that would both shield them from sight and alert him of movement. His fires slipped out with a flick of his wrist, floating around them and soon turning the little space comfortably warm.

Neither left before the dawn was well under way, too relieved to be alive and have each other.


	7. Chapter 7

It didn’t take long until Kili started sharing his ideas for fun human places to visit. There were so many option now! So many places that would never let a fox in - but a human? The world had opened it’s doors.

Fili was… less enthusiastic.

At first, it made sense - humans had just tried to kill him after all, and some reluctance was to be expected. But his friend wouldn’t be alone in an unfamiliar world, he would have Kili with him all the way! _And_ he would just turn into a human before they walked into the city proper! Save as could be!

Still, a no to the mall, too many people.  
A no to the movies, too enclosed.  
A definite no to the amusement park - after Kili tried explaining that one Fili had looked at him like he was crazy, turned back into a fox and disappeared into the forest without a word.

So perhaps he was being a bit over enthusiastic. Wouldn’t be the first time. But he wouldn’t have been able to befriend Fili in the first place if he didn’t know how to be patient.

Even if he didn’t always like it.

It wasn’t like their current days were dull, anything but, especially now that Fili could actually answer his questions - or tease him with more than a wheezing laugh when he slipped and fell on one of their incursions deeper into the forest.  
He was glad his friend had lost even the last reservations about letting him explore every part of it.

Kili just wanted to share his own world with him too.

For once, school actually helped him with that goal.  
With summer reaching it’s end and Kili’s last year starting, free time had become a precious commodity. And as much as he loved the forest, he knew, without a doubt, that he would not get his homework done if he stepped a foot in it. And if he didn’t do his homework, his grades might fail, and his parents might decide that his daily trips outside were not to be encouraged after all, and then when would he visit Fili?

It was much easier to spend just an hour or two in a nice and cozy cafe not far from the edge of town. It was mostly frequented by adults, and not a lot of them either - mostly because the prices were ridiculous. And yet, every review said they were worth every penny.

So Kili saved up, cajoled, and eventually got a long suffering sigh, followed by a resigned nod.

The resignation had lasted until Fili’s first bite.

His eyes had grown big, and Kili had given up most of his own treat just for a chance to stare at his friend a bit longer, the way he licked his lips, made sure to catch every crumb, and generally managed to look like a fox in chicken heaven.

Worth. Every. Penny!

Fili hadn’t seemed to mind his staring, once even winking at him, and yet, as soon as the tasty treats were gone, his interest waned, and he seemed anxious to leave.

It was on the way back, their little date cut way too short, that Kili couldn’t keep his frustration to himself anymore.

“Why do you hate the human world so much? I know you like me, and I know you saved me long before you even _knew_ me, so… why?” 

Fili looked at him for a long moment, his brows furrowed and a deep unhappy hum coming from deep inside his chest before he sighed, pulled Kili close, and explained:

“I’m a forest spirit. My power and being is tethered to it. The farther and longer I leave, the weaker I get. It was hard enough as a fox, a being of the forest, but as a human? I have an hour, maybe two, before I’ll be too weak to defend either of us in case of danger. And not much longer until I won’t be able to move at all.  
So while I have my reasons to be... cautious around other humans, they have nothing to do with why I cannot join you in your world.” 

Kili’s stomach dropped when he made the connection, realized where his friends lethargy during his visit had come from, and his subsequent capture…!

But Fili hushed him before he could apologize, give his horror voice.  
Instead of anger, Fili initiated the hug, and held him close while Kili wept for what could have been, what wasn’t, and a future he hadn’t realized he wanted until he lost it.


	8. Chapter 8

Kili was many things, but he wasn’t a quitter. It had taken years - getting through school, getting a job, gathering information - but at last he had what he needed. What he had turned his sights on once the knowledge of Fili’s connection to the forest, and all it entailed, had sunk in.

Not all of that research had been from books or human teachers either.  
Despite how busy his days may have gotten at times, there was not a day he did not visit his friend. Their shrine, as Fili called it, was their safe haven, and after Kili had fallen asleep mid conversations once, Fili had made sure to add a few things to it - like an alcove to sleep in. Kili was glad he finally could ask how that worked - how everything to do with Fili worked really - and finding out that Fili had essentially pulled their meeting spot into a place between dimensions after the attack had been… both terrifying and extremely useful. It was so much easier to study when time crawled by outside.

But it wasn’t sustainable forever. Keeping a closer eye on his friend now, Kili had quickly noted how much it tired Fili out to build that little world where they could be safe. His friend was powerful, but he had his limits.

But Kili had found a way around that. Found a way they could spend time together without stealing it with magic.

The property - _his_ property - was just on the edge of the forest. Years ago people had tried to build more houses here, add to the city at the cost of the forest. That hadn’t lasted long. The broken down equipment, missing materials, a notable fire and several missing people had turned the project on his head, until the owner himself eventually vanished, never to be seen again.

Some people spoke of curses, the real estate agent had merely informed him that the ground would be “too muddy” to hold any real weight, despite the existing permits and water and electricity lines. Kili wheedled, negotiated, and got a perfectly well plot for an apple and an eye. (Well, proverbial, why was land, even unusable land, so _expensive_?)

And unlike the poor fools who came before, he knew the _actual_ landlord.

Fili, in human form, just in case anyone came by again, was currently inspecting the materials Kili had bought. The house wouldn't be big, and it would take time to build, but Kili had read plenty of books and even helped out for free on some building sites in the past months and he was sure he could build them a nice, actual home. One where they wouldn't have to hide, and where Fili could live comfortably as both a human and a fox.

A place that was truly, fully, theirs.

-

It turned out to be a good thing that Kili had planned to build the house by himself - or, to be precise, without any other humans. Fili had insisted on helping - it was for him too after all, and weren’t they equals now? - and despite the long talks about magic and rules and possibilities, Kili had not quite anticipated just what magic help would _mean._  
While it hadn’t taken as long as Kili had expected, Fili’s touch meant there were some… discrepancies. 

The house itself was simple, little more than a wood cabin. Not something people usually planned to live in, much less together. Fili had insisted on that, worried that other humans might get cocky and try to destroy his forest again to make beautiful homes of their own. Kili had figured it was a small price to pay to have Fili so close everyday.

He had not expected the house to end up bigger inside.

Significantly bigger.

He hadn’t noticed it at first, and still blamed his exhaustion from working so hard for his oversight. And it’s not like he had _expected_ his parents to come visit him, busy as they usually were. 

It had taken him calling _Fili_ in, in human form of course, to distract them from the extra rooms and stairs that should by all means not fit inside the house.

Fili had not been amused, though he luckily played along. And if his parents had squealed when Fili told them he loved Kili and there was nothing he wouldn’t do for him, well, who was he to say otherwise?

It’s not like he wasn’t interested, but he wasn’t even sure if Fili even _had_ a sexuality, weirded out by human dating as he was. But Fili had never hid that he loved Kili. They cuddled, they talked long into the night, they ran through the forests together as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It might not be everything he had hoped for, back when Fili’s human form was still new and his heart so often pitter-pattered inside his chest, but it was enough for him.

“Why were your parents being so weird? And you too. Been a while since I saw you getting that red.”

Fili pulled him out of his thoughts that evening, and back to the task of giving his friend a massage and feeding him treats. A fair price, Fili had insisted, for suddenly putting him in the spotlight like that.

Kili hesitated for a moment, feeling his ears go warm again, but figured honesty would be better than risking a misunderstanding. 

“Humans usually only say they love someone if they are either family, or in a sexual relationship. As you aren’t the first, they kinda… assumed the latter. Are you okay with that? It at least kept them nice and distracted from their little find...” 

The extra rooms had by now been hidden behind a door, spelled so only they could see and open it. 

“Are you?”

The question threw him off guard. Of course he didn’t mind, definitely wouldn’t mind even if it was true! But it wasn’t like that was a possibility.

...Was it?

Fili had turned around, eyeing him with that intensity he always had when he was trying to figure something out. They didn’t have secrets, or at least Fili had always answered every question Kili asked. But he hadn’t really asked, had he? Just sent signs, more and more obvious, until he had figured Fili just wasn’t interested - or even wired the same way. But Fili wasn’t human, was he?

“I’ve already decided I want to spend my life with you, sex or not, so I don’t mind them thinking of us as partners. Wouldn’t mind the… intimacy though that usually comes with that, as long as it doesn’t make you uncomfortable.”

Fili cocked his head, a movement that still looked eerily foxlike, even in human form, and clarified:

“You mean mating, from human courting to sex and all that entails, yes?”

Kili could feel his skin lighting up again, and just nodded. 

“I’m not opposed, if you want to be my partner in every sense, but I have to warn you. I’m not a human, I’m a spirit, and much like my fox form I only take one mate, one partner. I know you have had… crushes, I think you called them, that faded before long. So I must ask that you consider carefully if you believe yourself able to be happy with only one partner. I know this is not the natural order for humans.”

“Not the-! Most of us are monogamous, and I definitely am!” he jumped to defend himself, before realizing that that had probably not been what worried Fili. Humans could divorce, and often did, and having several partners throughout their lives wasn’t as unusual as it had once been. And yes, he had crushes before, back in school, when he hadn’t quite known the difference between love and admiration, lust and affection. They had been helpful, in a way, but they never went anywhere. By the time they might have Fili had all of his attention, and he would never give him up for anyone in the world.

“I kinda already do,” he started quietly, looking everywhere but Fili, “I have known for years that I can’t have both - you and a “normal” relationship. Who would ever accept that I’m away so often, and keep so many secrets? And no one could ever compare to you anyway. So it’s… I can’t see myself ever not loving you? Or not choosing you, in any situation. You are my best friend, and I don’t ever want to lose you. So if you want some time to trust me with this, or would rather we just… go on as we have, then I’m okay with that.”

But Fili just smiled at him and leaned in to nip his jaw.

Over Kili’s surprised yelp, he chuckled: “Do you think I would have agreed to build a home with you if I did not trust you? Your word is enough for me. Though you might have to show me how humans mate, I’m guessing that nip was not quite what you had in mind?”

Kili laughed and kissed him.


	9. Chapter 9

“You aren’t actually aging, are you?”

The question hung heavily over their heads, only soft sheets separating them.

Fili had seen it coming for a while now. He had adjusted his form over the years, just enough to not be suspicious the few times someone saw him. He still preferred his forest to the ruckus of human life, but the occasional date always made Kili happy, the boundless enthusiasm shining like stars from his eyes. 

“I’m a spirit, Kili. Not a human. Not even a fox. As long as my forest exists, so will I.”

And they had made sure it would exist for a long time. Kili had come up with the idea, once he found out that Fili could become anything he wanted to, not bound by any one form outside of his own preferences. He had never expected that a few pictures of different animals could be enough to get a big fence around his forest, big “Nature Reserve, Keep out” signs everywhere around it. Kili was one of the few humans allowed in, aside from the occasional scientist, trying to get a glimpse of animals thought lost. But Kili still had the last say, as the so called “Warden” of the forest - in human eyes at least. 

Fili had been oddly okay with sharing his guardianship.

But he couldn't share his age, not like he wanted to. Humans died. 

“You said you only choose a partner once. What will happen to you?”

Fili closed his eyes, just for a moment, both admiring and cursing how perceptive Kili had become over the years. 

“I’ll live on. And I’ll remember, and miss you. But I knew that from the beginning, and even if I hadn’t accepted you as my partner, the pain would have been the same. It’s a small price to pay for being with you now, while I can.”

“Small price-!” Kili jumped upwards, pain, horror and indignation in his every gesture. “That’s not a small price! I don’t want you to be unhappy and alone for all eternity! Isn’t there _anything_ we can do?! We have solved all kinds of problems together, there must be _something._ ”

Fili warred with himself, as he hadn’t done in a long time. Being with Kili had long since washed away most of his hard edges, hate replaced by love, seriousness by laughter, and stark duty by happiness.  
But he still had a selfish side, still had a side screaming that he didn’t want to lose Kili. Didn’t _have_ to lose him. He just didn’t know if it would work. If Kili would still be Kili. If that old promise, half forgotten, still had weight.

It wasn’t his decision to make, either way.

“There is nothing I can do.” he answered simply.

And Kili, smart, perceptive, and by now all too experienced in Fili’s world and mind, heard what he didn’t say.

“Then who can? And what will it cost?”

Getting up from the bed - for surely there would be no sleeping now - he gestured for Kili to join him in the kitchen. He stalled, stirring that horrid chocolate powder into a cup of milk and presenting it to Kili before joining him at the table.

“I wasn’t always a spirit. I don’t remember much from before. Just pain and loss, and an ache that would not leave. I don’t remember how I found her, or if she found me, but I met a goddess - of forests, and meadows, of all living things that pass and rise anew - and she offered me a chance. She would remake me, take all my pain and lock it away. In return I would serve her for all my days, protecting a small part of her kingdom in her stead.  
I didn’t want to take that deal.  
I didn’t want to forget the one I lost, the one I loved with all my heart. But she promised me that they would come again, like all living beings do, and when the time came she would give them the chance to join me in my duty.”

“You think I’m them?” Kili’s hands were white around his cup, lips thin. Kili had always been the master of his own fate.

“I don’t know. And I don’t care. You are the one I choose. If you are not, I will try my best to bargain with her to let you join me instead. But you need to understand, being a spirit is _not the same._ I don’t know who or what I once was. I don’t know how much you would lose in becoming like me.”

The silence stretched between them, Kili deep in thought, but his short lived anger had already fled for a thoughtful frown.

“You don’t have to decide anything right now. We still have a lot of happy years ahead of us. No need to rush.”

But Kili was already shaking his head.

“I’m not thinking about if, Fili. I’m thinking of how. We need to keep the forest safe even if I’m not here to be Warden anymore after all. I don’t want some idiots somewhere down the line thinking that a few animals don’t matter, just because no one is around to tell them off, to remind people that this is important. You can change into any form, right? Could I do that too? Perhaps between the two of us we could set something up to always have one of us be official? But how to do birth certificates and-”

Kili was already up and about, making plans and finding ways to make the impossible come true. Fili just hoped that he wouldn't lose that, wouldn't lose a single thing that made him Kili. But if anyone could do it, could stay himself, it would be him.

For now they had plans to make, and research to do, and time in between to be happy and together.


	10. Chapter 10

Kili flitted from branch to branch, all too eager to greet - and often accidentally scare off - everyone and anything he saw.

It was like he was a kit all over again.

Well, perhaps he was, though a spirit kit, currently in a bird body. Shapeshifting had come easy to Kili, and he hadn’t yet decided which form he liked best - perhaps he never would. And while the animals instinctively recognized him as their protector, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t spook if he suddenly changed shape mid conversation. Apparently it came as easy as breathing to him, and just as automatic. Just a stray thought and the robin changed into a cat, switched through several different birds and by the time he had found his way back to robin, his little friends had taken off in a loud flurry.

He caught the little kit - now literally - out of midair, and adjusted his hands until a familiar head rested against him. Kili’s human form was still easy to assume, but his inability to hold it reliably made keeping up the Warden ruse complicated at times.

One of the first things Kili had played around with, as soon as he had figured out how to at least, was his height. Apparently he wanted to be “little spoon” too, at least occasionally. Fili had little idea what that meant, some human slang still going over his head, but at least Kili had seemed to have kept his memories and personality despite the change.  
Even if some parts were perhaps… amplified.

Or perhaps he had simply forgotten how curious Kili had been as a kit, before work and adult problems had limited his time. Not that he had ever stopped being curious, but… 

Kili saw a lynx walking by not far from them, and following a nip at his jaw - a little, well loved gesture between them even before Kili's change - he was off on four oversized paws, limps as uncoordinated as he was eager to make friends.

Fili settled in to watch, a steady presence to both his mate and the forest. 

Once Kili had a better grasp on his form Fili would bring him into his own den, so long all but abandoned for their human one, and introduce him to yet more perks of being a spirit.

But that had time. For now he just basked in Kili’s happiness and enthusiasm and enjoyed the warm certainty of a future spent together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this is the end of the main story, there were more scenes I had ideas for that didn’t quite make it in - like the Strawberry Tart drabble I already posted for example. While I have a few things drafted, I would love to explore this verse more in the future. I seem to have an easier time writing for prompts though. So if there’s something you would like to know more about please let me know!


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